Journalism for sale

May 15, 2008|BILL OKETCH The Institute for War & Peace Reporting

LIRA, Uganda -- Caesar Odongo had been assigned by his radio station to cover the recent peace talks between the Ugandan government and representatives of the Lord's Resistance Army. But instead of reporting on the substance of the negotiations, he filed a story focusing on the role government officials were playing in the negotiations. Did he change his assignment because he decided a report on the personalities involved would provide a truer picture of the talks? Not really. Instead, he said he realized that local politicians would pay him handsomely for slanting his reports. Across much of Africa, government officials and reporters themselves acknowledge that their coverage is for sale to the highest bidder. Given the grinding poverty that grips the region and the low wages most reporters receive, it should come as no surprise that money talks when it comes to news coverage. "I (compared) what my media organization pays per story, and found that what a source (would) give (me) was (better)," said one reporter who asked that his name not be used. The reporter said that while he was unhappy with his decision and realized he was denying people in the region accurate coverage of events there, he felt he had little choice. "People are taking advantage of poverty in northern Uganda to bribe journalists, resulting in an information vacuum," he said. Few people in recent years have suffered as much as Ugandans. Nearly 21 years of war have resulted in the displacement of an estimated 2 million people and the deaths of about 100,000. Nearly 50,000 have been abducted during the conflict, including men, women and children. In order to survive, many have become dependent on handouts from organizations such as the United Nations World Food Program and a wide range of non-governmental groups. This situation has created a culture of dependency, which many here believe has made it easier for politicians to bribe journalists. Peter Owiny, the mayor of Lira, said that journalists he's familiar with depended on ministers and politicians to make ends meet. Jimmy Akena, a local legislator, claimed that journalists often demand payments from politicians, sometimes threatening to publish a damaging story unless their demands are met. Others said they believe most journalists they encountered at least attempted to behave in an ethical manner. Capt. Deo Akiiki, a spokesman for the 5th Division of the Ugandan Army, said he believed most of the journalists wanted to get the facts right. He blamed most inaccurate reporting either on reporters failing to adequately research a topic or those being questioned by journalists failing to provide accurate information. Editors said they were aware of journalists selling their services and trying to cope with the problem, Chris Banya, an editor with a weekly newspaper in northern Uganda, said he has fired several reporters for accepting bribes from public officials. Bill Oketch is a reporter in Uganda who writes for The Institute for War & Peace Reporting, a nonprofit organization that trains journalists in areas of conflict.